


A String of Beads and a Pile of Sand

by FyreAlchemage



Series: Tales From Merol [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:27:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29331546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FyreAlchemage/pseuds/FyreAlchemage
Summary: Part of the Tales From Merol collection. Do not trust what you see.
Series: Tales From Merol [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2154444





	A String of Beads and a Pile of Sand

Clack-clack, went the beads as they tapped against each other as they were strung onto the thread. Three beads, four, seven, twelve, fifteen, and a last, and two ashen hands tied the thread and placed the bead-string on the carpet next to the others. The long, slender fingers continued to thread beads onto strings, stopping once a second set of hands, pale and large, took one of the bead-necklaces and inspected it.

“This is perfect—how much?” asked the pale-handed man, whose skin was white as mountain snow and whose body was built like the warrior.

“Seventeen drakes,” rasped the ashen-handed bead merchant, extending an almost skeletal hand to accept the coins. The man did not give them.

“Will marks suffice? I come from the Empire,” said the man, offering several silver coins, Imperial marks. Though his foreign coins were shiny and surely valuable, the merchant waved them away, for ze knew better. The people of this land did not accept marks; they dealt only in drakes and goods, and with no drakes, this man would have to barter for the beads. The bead merchant explained this to the Empire-man.

“What do you want?” asked the man. The merchant thought for a few moments, then said, “I seek a pile of sand.”

“A pile of sand? Is that all?” The man did not believe his ears—a pile of sand was a paltry amount compared to seventeen drakes, and both people knew that. As the man walked away, slightly confused, the merchant picked up the beads and strung them on the threads. Clack-clack.

The man walked over to the riverside, took a handful of sand, and brought it back to the merchant. This seemed to do, and now the merchant gave him the beads. The man watched with curiosity as the bead-merchant let the sand fall through hir slender, bony fingers into a small vase-like container, and now the merchant placed the container over a low fire, causing the sand and whatever else was inside to burn. This incense, such as it was, had a dizzying scent of realness, and as the man left with his newly acquired beads, he realized he had just received a handful of twigs and pebbles.


End file.
